MrBeast has the most subscribers on YouTube: about 517 million as of September 2026. He became the first channel ever to pass 500 million on June 12, 2026. Second is the Indian music label T-Series with about 315 million, and third is the kids' channel Cocomelon with about 203 million.
Below is the full top 20, how the number one spot changed hands over the years, and what these channels teach anyone trying to grow a channel of their own.
Top 20 most subscribed YouTube channels
Numbers are rounded, because YouTube shows public subscriber counts in rounded form. Places 1–10 come from Epidemic Sound's ranking (data from September 21, 2026); places 11–20 from Wikipedia's list of most-subscribed channels (summer 2026).
| # | Channel | Subscribers (approx.) | Content | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MrBeast | 517 million | Challenges, giveaways | USA |
| 2 | T-Series | 315 million | Music (Hindi) | India |
| 3 | Cocomelon – Nursery Rhymes | 203 million | Kids' songs | USA |
| 4 | SET India | 190 million | TV shows | India |
| 5 | Vlad and Niki | 151 million | Kids' entertainment | USA/Russia |
| 6 | Stokes Twins | 146 million | Pranks, challenges | USA |
| 7 | Kids Diana Show | 138 million | Kids' entertainment | USA/Ukraine |
| 8 | KIMPRO | 135 million | Short comedy | South Korea |
| 9 | Like Nastya | 133 million | Kids' entertainment | USA/Russia |
| 10 | Zee Music Company | 123 million | Music (Hindi) | India |
| 11 | Alejo Igoa | 121 million | Challenges (Spanish) | Argentina |
| 12 | WWE | 114 million | Sports entertainment | USA |
| 13 | Goldmines | 110 million | Films (Hindi) | India |
| 14 | PewDiePie | 109 million | Gaming, vlogs | Sweden |
| 15 | Sony SAB | 106 million | TV shows | India |
| 16 | Alan's Universe | 102 million | Short dramas | USA |
| 17 | BLACKPINK | 101 million | Music (K-pop) | South Korea |
| 18 | Zee TV | 99 million | TV shows | India |
| 19 | ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes | 98 million | Kids' songs | India |
| 20 | Topper Guild | 95 million | Short entertainment | USA |
BLACKPINK is the most subscribed music artist on YouTube. Among solo creators who run their own channel, MrBeast is far ahead, followed by the Stokes Twins, KIMPRO and PewDiePie.
Most subscribers vs most views
Subscribers and views are not the same race. T-Series is second in subscribers but first in total views, with more than 356 billion. Cocomelon is second with about 228 billion views, and MrBeast is only around sixth by views (about 141 billion). Music labels and kids' channels upload thousands of videos that people replay endlessly, so their view totals run far ahead of their subscriber counts.
Who was number one before MrBeast?
The top spot has changed hands only a few times since YouTube started:
- 2006–2013: early stars such as Smosh, Fred and nigahiga traded places at the top.
- August 2013: PewDiePie took over and held it for 1,920 days in a row, still the longest single run.
- 2018–2019: the famous "PewDiePie vs T-Series" battle. Fans on both sides campaigned for months, and T-Series passed PewDiePie for good on April 14, 2019.
- May 29, 2019: T-Series became the first channel to reach 100 million subscribers.
- June 2, 2024: MrBeast passed T-Series and has led ever since.
MrBeast's pace since then is unusual even by YouTube standards. He passed 100 million subscribers in July 2022, 200 million in October 2023, 300 million in July 2024, 400 million in June 2025 and 500 million in June 2026. That's roughly 100 million new subscribers a year.
What the biggest channels have in common
They speak to the whole world
MrBeast dubs his main videos into many languages with native-speaking voice actors. KIMPRO, Alan's Universe and Topper Guild make short videos that need almost no words. Kids' channels use simple songs and bright visuals that work everywhere. A channel that can be understood without translation has a far bigger ceiling.
They serve huge home markets
Seven of the top 20 are Indian channels. India has YouTube's largest audience, and music labels like T-Series and Zee Music post every new film song, trailer and devotional track there first.
They publish a lot, or they publish big
There are two winning models. T-Series and SET India upload constantly. MrBeast posts far less often, but every video is an event with a big budget. Both work because viewers always have a reason to come back.
They use Shorts
Many of the fastest-growing channels in the list, like KIMPRO, Alan's Universe and the Stokes Twins, grew mainly through YouTube Shorts. Shorts are shown to people who have never heard of you, which makes them the quickest way to gain new subscribers today.
They make people want the next video
Subscribing is a bet that the next upload will be good. Series, recurring formats and clear promises ("I spent 100 days in…") give viewers that reason.
How to get more subscribers on your own channel
You don't need 500 million to make a channel work. YouTube's Partner Program opens at 1,000 subscribers plus watch time, and brand deals often start in the low thousands. What helps at every level:
- Pick one clear topic so viewers know what they get by subscribing.
- Post on a steady schedule and use Shorts to reach new people, with long videos to turn them into fans.
- Ask at the right moment. A short, specific call to subscribe after you've delivered value works better than a generic one at the start.
- Use end screens and playlists to keep people watching your channel instead of leaving.
- Give new videos a strong start. Early views and engagement tell YouTube a video is worth testing with more viewers. Some creators add a first push with YouTube views on a new upload.
A small channel also has a trust problem: people hesitate to subscribe to a channel with 40 subscribers. That's why many creators use LikeMan's YouTube subscribers as social proof while they build their audience. Be clear about what it does: it makes the channel look established and helps real viewers take the step. Bought subscribers don't watch, don't count toward monetization on their own and don't replace good videos. Every LikeMan order comes with a 365-day refill guarantee and needs only your channel link, never your password.
FAQ
Who has the most subscribers on YouTube in 2026?
MrBeast, with about 517 million subscribers as of September 2026. He became the first channel to pass 500 million on June 12, 2026.
Which channel had the most subscribers before MrBeast?
T-Series, the Indian music label, held first place from April 14, 2019, until MrBeast overtook it on June 2, 2024. Before that, PewDiePie led for most of 2013–2019.
How many subscribers does PewDiePie have?
About 109 million, which puts him around 14th. He was number one for longer than anyone else, 1,920 days in a row from 2013.
Who is the most subscribed musician on YouTube?
BLACKPINK is the most subscribed music artist, with just over 100 million. Among music channels overall, T-Series leads with about 315 million.
Can I see exact subscriber counts?
Not on YouTube itself. Public counts are rounded (for example, 517 million instead of the exact figure). Channel owners see the precise number in YouTube Studio, and live-count sites estimate it from YouTube's data.
The bottom line
MrBeast leads YouTube with over 500 million subscribers, T-Series and Cocomelon follow, and the rest of the top 20 is a mix of Indian media giants, kids' channels and Shorts creators. What they share is simple: content the whole world can understand, a reason to come back, and a strong start for every video. Those same rules work for a channel of any size, and it's easier to grow your subscribers when the channel already looks worth following.